Business

How Do You Market Services to Teen Clients?

August 01, 1999 | Bookmark +

Readers respond: How Do You Market Services to Teen Clients?

Answer

<p>ILLUSTRATION: CHRIS MURPHY</p>I airbrush and that alone draws teens in. I don’t like doing artificial nails on girls younger than 16; however, I will for prom and special dances. I think that one of the reasons I draw a younger clientele is because I stay up-to-date with all of the latest trends. I always have all of the new colors in several lines of polish, and my polish color choices always have a lot of fun, bright colors and glitter. That’s what teens really like right now. -- Cindy Davis, Visible Changes Salon (Ridgecrest, Calif.)

I am usually very direct in my marketing attempts no matter what the age of the targeted group. Find out who’s who in the local teen hierarchy and make an effort to meet them. Usually a mother will send one in for a service for a special occasion. That’s a great opportunity to do a little research. Keep a few teen oriented fashion magazines around. If they just “happen” to be opened to a picture or article featuring bare, well-groomed toes, there’s your opening to get them acquainted with the idea of pedicures. If prom or graduation is around the corner, talk to the girls and get the guys involved too. I took a gamble and invested in some medium price-ranged nail charms this spring that featured a lion’s face (school’s mascot) and the number 99. Even some of the guys had sculpted nails put on one finger so they could wear their new charms. I suggested that they could always be converted into charms for neck chains later. I think communicating with any group that you want to attract is the key.--Audrey Lulow, Nails By Audrey Lulow (Woodbury, Tenn.)

At our salon, we contact the area high schools and get an ad in their school newspapers, fliers at football games, or programs at plays and other school activities. This works well – especially at prom time. We get great feedback from it.--Anna Hamlet, Salon Duvall (Richmond, Va.)

To attract teen clients, I put our fliers at the local high schools offering a discount with their student activity card. I also place fliers on the local grocery store’s “ad boards” offering specials for upcoming dances.--Jeanna Nentwich, Jeanna’s Nail Studio (Salt Lake City, Utah)

We advertise to teens by targeting the dance and prom season. Makeup, skincare, and especially nails are advertised from proms at a lower price than our regular prices. This really draws them in. Once they are in the door, the staff tells them what we have to offer and we also ask them to tell a friend. Now our prom and dance season is booked well in advance. The secret for us is we work as a team in giving the teens the best “in style” looks possible.--Sharlene Stewart, Merle Norman (West Chester, Pa.)

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How can I cut costs and finally make a profit?

I’ve been doing nails for almost two years and have built a decent clientele. The only problem is, I did the math and over 50% of my income is going back into nail products. I’m using top-of-the-line brands and disposable files. How can I cut costs and finally make a profit? I know our prices are too low as well, but we are trying to stay competitive. Any advice?

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As a mobile tech, how do I ensure I get paid?

I have a question about working as a mobile tech. When clients book group events or nail parties, how do you go about getting deposits and payments? Have you ever traveled to a client’s house and they were unable to pay? What did you do?

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What should I do differently with male clients?

I’m starting to get more and more male clients. I am wondering how long a manicure for a man should last and how to price it? Also do you have any recommendations on what else I can do to give them an extra masculine sense of comfort?

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Should I Use Punch Cards?

I recently started working at a high-end salon and I’m looking for marketing ideas. Should I do punch cards? I can’t do “refer-a-friend” because I don’t have consistent clients yet. We are already doing social media.

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Should I start requiring a nonrefundable deposit for special-time appointments?

I want to start requiring a nonrefundable deposit for special-time appointments. My posted hours are 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. by appointment only. I am ridiculously flexible with my schedule, and let people book earlier and later if they can’t get in during normal hours. Recently, I had a 7:30 a.m. no-show! She was supposed to get services totaling over $100, and I forfeited holiday plans to accommodate her. She comes every two weeks, so I can’t lose her, but this is the second time she’s no-showed. What should I do? And how would I go about informing current clients of the new policy on off-hour deposits?

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